What's happening
This bill authorizes the creation of distinctive "S.P.C.A." license plates for Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals officers and their spouses.
Why it matters
Recognizes and legitimizes SPCA officers. By authorizing distinctive plates, the law publicly acknowledges the role of SPCA officers and could help them be identified more easily while on duty, potentially increasing their authority and safety during animal welfare enforcement.
Extends benefits to spouses, with limits. The bill allows either the SPCA officer or their spouse to obtain the plate, but not both, supporting families of officers while preventing potential misuse or dilution of the plate’s intended purpose.
Imposes safeguards and cost recovery. Issuance of the plate requires either a $6,000 surety bond or 200 pre-orders with associated fees, ensuring the state won’t bear financial losses if the plates are not in demand, and that upfront costs for design and production are covered.
Funds go toward DMV plate development. Service charges collected are earmarked for the DMV’s distinctive plate development fund, supporting the infrastructure for creating and distributing specialty plates and potentially enabling future programs.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Special Plates for SPCA Officers
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to transportation
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
SPCA Officer Plates Allowed
In Assembly Committee · Transportation · Sponsor Linda Rosenthal
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7061
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 8, 2020
Introduced by Sen. HARCKHAM -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to distinctive license plates for society for the prevention of cruelty to animals officers
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section 404-ff to read as follows:
§ 404-ff. Distinctive plates for society for the prevention of cruelty to animals officers. 1. Society for the prevention of cruelty to animals officers in this state or the spouse of any such member shall, upon request, be issued a license plate bearing the letters "S.P.C.A". If a distinctive plate is issued to any such member pursuant to this section, such a distinctive plate shall not be issued to the spouse of such member. Application for such license plate shall be filed with the commissioner in such form and detail as the commissioner shall prescribe, and shall be verified annually by the applicant.
2. The distinctive plate authorized in subdivision one of this section shall be issued upon proof, satisfactory to the commissioner, that the applicant or the spouse of the applicant is presently a society for the prevention of cruelty to animals officers.
3. A distinctive plate issued pursuant to this section shall be issued in the same manner as other number plates upon payment of the regular registration fee prescribed by section four hundred one of this article and an initial one time service charge of fifteen dollars.
§ 2. 1. A distinctive plate established pursuant to section 404-ff of the vehicle and traffic law shall only be designed, produced and issued upon the delivery to the department of motor vehicles of a surety bond in the amount of $6,000, which shall be executed by a surety company authorized by the department of financial services to transact business in this state. Provided, however, that if the commissioner of motor vehicles shall have received prior to plate design, production and issu-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14037-02-9
S. 7061 2
ance at least 200 orders for such distinctive plate together with the additional annual service charge applicable to each such order, which shall be non-refundable, no such surety bond shall be required. All service charges collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited pursuant to the provisions of section 404-oo of the vehicle and traffic law to the credit of the department of motor vehicles distinctive plate development fund established by section 95-g of the state finance law and shall be used for the design, production, advertising and distribution of distinctive license plates in accordance with such section 95-g.
2. If, upon the expiration of two years following the date upon which distinctive plates in the series are first available for sale, 200 or more sets of such plates are sold, a bond delivered pursuant to this section shall be discontinued. If fewer than 200 sets of such plates are sold by such time, the department of motor vehicles shall be entitled to recover against the bond in an amount proportionate to such shortfall.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to distinctive license plates for society for the prevention of cruelty to animals officers
Purpose
To amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to distinctive license plates for society for the prevention of cruelty to animals officers.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 sets the provisions by which a Society for the prevention of cruelty to animals officer or their spouse may purchase a distinctive license plate.
Section 2 describes the establishment of a distinctive license plate.
Section 3 is the effective date.
Justification
The society for the prevention of cruelty to animals are comprised of trained volunteers who can arrive to the scene of crimes in unmarked personal vehicles. Due to the nature of the crimes often times vehicles are left in situations that are subject to receiving traffic violation s. These officers are doing a public service and should not be punished for things that need to be done in order to complete the job. Allowing society for the prevention of cruelty to animals officers access to distinctive license plates helps notify other law enforcement that those specific vehicles are there on society for the prevention of cruelty of animal business.
Legislative history
This is a new bill.
Fiscal implications
TO BE DETERMINED
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it has become a bill
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.